PRESS: Elite Gymnast Sophia Campana Brings the “Fire Within Experience” to the Willow Grove YMCA

HATBORO, PA – November 13, 2026 – The Willow Grove YMCA will host elite gymnast, social media icon and confidence coach Sophia Campana for the Fire Within Experience on Sunday, December 20. The event invites girls of all ages and skill levels to step into “Sophialand,” where gymnastics training meets confidence, creativity and courage.

Over three hours, gymnasts will take on Sophia’s signature challenges, work through gymnastics skills and elite-inspired drills, and explore artistry through confidence-based choreography. The program also includes Find Your Fire, a mindset workshop that brings gymnasts and parents together to focus on building confidence, overcoming mental blocks and turning fears into your inner fire. Parents and coaches attend free and do not need a ticket.

Gymnasts who add on the VIP Pink Party package will stay for an additional hour of pink-carpet photos with Sophia, glam stations, mocktails and autographs. The Pink Party is the only opportunity at the event to take an individual photo with Sophia and receive her signature.

“Our gymnasts put in the work on their skills every week, and this event celebrates the part of the sport that never shows up on a scorecard: the confidence to try something new and the courage to keep going,” said Mubarak “Coach Mo” Simmons, Senior Gymnastics Director at the Willow Grove YMCA. “Bringing Sophia to the Willow Grove Y gives young athletes and their parents a chance to build that mindset together.”

"The Fire Within Experience was one of those days that changed the trajectory of my daughter's life! We learned productive ways to handle fears; she unlocked her inner confidence from doing the ‘wild challenges’ in the Mindset workshop, and still talks about how wonderful the day was months later!", says a mom who attended the Toronto experience.

EVENT DETAILS

WHAT: The Fire Within Experience with Sophia Campana

WHEN: Sunday, December 20, 2026

General Admission: 2:30–5:30 PM

GA + VIP Pink Party: 2:30–6:30 PM

WHERE: Willow Grove YMCA at 3300 Davisville Road, Hatboro, PA 19040

WHO:

• Elite gymnast, social media icon and confidence coach Sophia Campana
• Girls of all ages and skill levels
• Parents and coaches (free; no ticket required)

TICKETS: Limited; ticket sales close November 17

• General Admission (3 hours): $125
• GA + VIP Pink Party (4 hours): $225

REGISTER: sophiacampana.com

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

• Gymnasts will take on Sophia’s wild challenges and train gymnastics skills through elite-inspired drills.
• Artistry sessions will cover dance and choreography, helping gymnasts build creativity and expression into their routines.
• The Find Your Fire confidence workshop will bring gymnasts and parents together to talk about overcoming fears and building a confident mindset.
• VIP guests will close the day at Sophia’s Pink Party, with pink-carpet photos, glam stations, mocktails and autographs.

THE BIG PICTURE

• Active kids think and feel better. Regular physical activity helps children ages 6 to 17 build stronger bones and muscles, improves thinking skills, academic performance and memory, and reduces symptoms of depression, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC
• Even non-competitive gymnastics builds stronger bones. A 12-year study published in Frontiers in Endocrinology in 2025 followed children from ages 4 to 6 into their late teens and found that those who took recreational gymnastics, typically about 1.5 hours a week, developed larger, stronger forearm bones than active peers who played sports such as hockey, soccer and basketball, benefits researchers say may carry into young adulthood. NIH/PubMed Central
• Sport is a powerful shield for girls’ mental health. Rates of mental health disorders are 1.5 to 2.5 times lower for girls who play sports, and girls who participate report lower levels of depression and anxiety, according to research from the Women’s Sports Foundation. Women’s Sports Foundation